Chris Hedges sits down with recently-freed civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart to discuss prison, freedom and the issues raised by her detention.
Read more: http://bit.ly/ChrisHedgesInterviewsLynneStewart
Donate to Truthdig and help us continue to deliver a progressive, high-quality online journal of news and opinion:
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published:13 Feb 2014

views:10759

SHOTLIST
1. Tilt down of exterior of the federal courthouse building
2. Mid of entrance to courthouse with woman chanting
3. Mid of man outside courthouse, chanting: "No justice, no peace."
4. Mid of man holding sign, which reads: "Jailing Lynne Stewart is a threat to all."
5. Mid shotStewart supporters chanting: "Free Lynne Stewart, free Lynne Stewart now."
6. Lynne Stewart walking out of courthouse with her family
7. Mid of cameras
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour. And he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted, they were disappointed, but I tell you he did a fair and right thing."
9. Wide of Lynne surrounded by family and supporters, chanting, "the people united, will never be defeated"
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"The government should not take a bigger bite than it's entitled to, if they find wrong doing, call it for what it is, do not indict, do not over-indict, do not think they can put people away for minor things just because they have that T (terrorist) word to use. He was a very brave judge who looked beyond the T word, who was not buffaloed by the government into saying she's a terrorist, convicted, put her away for the rest of her life."
11. Wide of Stewart surrounded by supporters and media
12. Mid of man holding sign, reading: "Lynne is innocent, Bush (US PresidentGeorge W. Bush) has killed 655 thousand Iraqis."
13. Mid of entrance to federal courthouse
14. Various of courtroom sketches from Stewart's sentencing
STORYLINE:
Civil rights lawyer Lynne Stewart was sentenced to two years and four months months in prison on a terrorism charge on Monday for helping an Egyptian sheik communicate with his followers on the outside.
Stewart, 67, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, smiled, cried and hugged supporters after US District JudgeJohn G. Koeltl announced he was dramatically reducing the 30-year prison sentence called for by federal sentencing guidelines.
When Stewart's lawyer gave her final address she told the judge that her client would die if she was sent to jail.
The judge said Stewart was guilty of smuggling messages between the sheik and his followers that could have had potentially lethal consequences.
He called the crimes extraordinarily severe criminal conduct.
But the judge cited more than three decades of dedication to poor, disadvantaged and unpopular clients that had left her destitute even though she worked on more than 70 cases at once.
Outside court, Stewart said she thought the sentence was a victory for all her hard work.
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour and he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted," she said.
Stewart was convicted in 2005 of providing material support to terrorists.
She had released a statement by Omar Abdel-Rahman, a blind sheik sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted in plots to blow up five New York landmarks and assassinate Egypt's president.
Prosecutors have called the case a major victory in the war on terrorism.
They said Stewart and other defendants carried messages between the sheik and senior members of an Egyptian-based terrorist organisation, helping spread Abdel-Rahman's call to kill those who did not subscribe to his extremist interpretation of Islamic law.
Stewart was arrested six months after the September 11, 2001 attacks, along with an Arabic interpreter, and a US postal
worker.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7b9c59fef05ae4750301012586b9c73f
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

published:21 Jul 2015

views:148

EXCLUSIVE: Civil RightsAttorneyLynne Stewart Responds to Court Ruling Upholding Conviction and Ordering Her to PrisonCivil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has been ordered to prison to begin serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence after a federal appeals court upheld her conviction on Tuesday. Lynne Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the Blind Sheikh, who is serving a life sentence on terror-related charges. The panel also described Stewarts twenty-eight-month sentence as strikingly low and sent the case back to the trial judge to determine whether she deserved a longer prison term. In a Democracy Now! national broadcast exclusive, Lynne Stewart joins us from New York.

http://www.democracynow.org - Support is growing for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart to be released early from prison due to her worsening health. Stewart's prison warden has recommended to the Justice Department that she be released to the Sloan KetteringCancerCenter in New York. The 73-year-old imprisoned grandmother is fighting stage 4 cancer that has metastasized, spreading to her lymph nodes, shoulder, bones and lungs. Stewart is serving a 10-year sentence in a federal prison near Fort Worth, Texas. In 2005 she was found guilty of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Egyptian cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh," who is now serving a life sentence for conspiring to blow up New York City landmarks in 1995. We speak to former U.S. AttorneyGeneralRamsey Clark and Democracy Now! producer Renée Feltz, who is just back from Texas where she interviewed Lynne Stewart in federal prison, the first face-to-face interview granted to a reporter. The call for Stewart comes at a time when the Federal Bureau of Prisons is facing increasing criticism for refusing to release terminally ill prisoners. A recent report from the Justice Department's inspector general found the bureau's compassionate release program is "poorly managed and implemented inconsistently, likely resulting in eligible inmates not being considered for release and terminally ill inmates dying before their requests were decided."
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,100+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

Lynne guides us through our emotions, passions and life using a system of chakras and spirituality.
Lynne Stewart is an alumna of the University of Toronto with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She completed her MBA part-time while working in the Investment Bank at CIBC. She now runs a Pilates, Yoga & Wellness studio (SOL BARRE) and speaks and instructs on posture and wellness in her community. She has an amazing outlook on life that inspires others to connect to their community, their passions, and find balance and great health.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

published:23 Apr 2015

views:704

http://www.democracynow.org - The civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has returned home from prison after a federal judge ordered her compassionate release. Stewart is 74 years old and dying from late-stage breast cancer. Viewed by supporters as a political prisoner, she had served almost four years of a 10-year sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of her client, Omar Abdel Rahman, an Egyptian cleric known as the "blind Sheikh." Stewart arrived to a group of cheering supporters in New York City on Wednesday. Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and Renée Feltz were at the airport to cover the homecoming and speak with Stewart about her time behind bars and her plans to continue fighting for political prisoners — and for her own life — now that she's free.
See all of our Democracy Now! coverage of Lyne Stewart and her trials here: http://www.democracynow.org/topics/lynne_stewart.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

http://www.democracynow.org - Lawyers for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart head to federal court today to seek her release from prison. Now 73 years old, Stewart is dying from cancer in a Texas prison. Last month, Stewart's treating physician in prison estimated her life expectancy is approximately 18 months. This comes after the Federal Bureau of Prisons denied Stewart's request for early release -- a denial her lawyers are appealing and hope to address today in a hearing before her original sentencing judge, JudgeJohn Koeltl. In 2010, Stewart was sentenced to 10 years in prison for passing messages from her client, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, to his followers in Egypt. In a letter to Judge Koeltl, Stewart wrote: "I do not intend to go 'gently into that good night' as Dylan Thomas wrote. There is much to be done in this world. I do know that I do not want to die here in prison -- a strange and loveless place. I want to be where all is familiar -- in a word, home. ... I have no grandiose plans -- just good food, conversation, music. That is what I look forward to. And of course, my beloved husband Ralph - my hero and help, my heart, through all the last 50 years. I need him and his strength and love now to be close to me as I get ready for the nearing moments of transition and then rest. If you indeed represent the merciful hand of the law, as against, in this case, a heartless bureaucracy, do not punish me further. Grant me release and allow me to die in dignity." We speak to her husband Ralph Poynter, her daughter ZenobiaBrown and her attorney Jill Shellow.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

Abdel-Rahman was accused of being the leader of Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya (also known as "The Islamic Group"), a militant Islamist movement in Egypt that is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and Egyptian governments. The group is responsible for many acts of violence, including the November 1997 Luxor massacre, in which 58 foreign tourists and four Egyptians were killed.

Chris Hedges sits down with recently-freed civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart to discuss prison, freedom and the issues raised by her detention.
Read more: http://bit.ly/ChrisHedgesInterviewsLynneStewart
Donate to Truthdig and help us continue to deliver a progressive, high-quality online journal of news and opinion:
http://bit.ly/TruthdigDonate
Join the Truthdig mailing list and never miss a beat: http://bit.ly/TruthdigMailingList
Like Us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TruthdigFacebook
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2:36

Civil Rights lawyer jailed for helping convicted muslim cleric

Civil Rights lawyer jailed for helping convicted muslim cleric

Civil Rights lawyer jailed for helping convicted muslim cleric

SHOTLIST
1. Tilt down of exterior of the federal courthouse building
2. Mid of entrance to courthouse with woman chanting
3. Mid of man outside courthouse, chanting: "No justice, no peace."
4. Mid of man holding sign, which reads: "Jailing Lynne Stewart is a threat to all."
5. Mid shotStewart supporters chanting: "Free Lynne Stewart, free Lynne Stewart now."
6. Lynne Stewart walking out of courthouse with her family
7. Mid of cameras
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour. And he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted, they were disappointed, but I tell you he did a fair and right thing."
9. Wide of Lynne surrounded by family and supporters, chanting, "the people united, will never be defeated"
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"The government should not take a bigger bite than it's entitled to, if they find wrong doing, call it for what it is, do not indict, do not over-indict, do not think they can put people away for minor things just because they have that T (terrorist) word to use. He was a very brave judge who looked beyond the T word, who was not buffaloed by the government into saying she's a terrorist, convicted, put her away for the rest of her life."
11. Wide of Stewart surrounded by supporters and media
12. Mid of man holding sign, reading: "Lynne is innocent, Bush (US PresidentGeorge W. Bush) has killed 655 thousand Iraqis."
13. Mid of entrance to federal courthouse
14. Various of courtroom sketches from Stewart's sentencing
STORYLINE:
Civil rights lawyer Lynne Stewart was sentenced to two years and four months months in prison on a terrorism charge on Monday for helping an Egyptian sheik communicate with his followers on the outside.
Stewart, 67, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, smiled, cried and hugged supporters after US District JudgeJohn G. Koeltl announced he was dramatically reducing the 30-year prison sentence called for by federal sentencing guidelines.
When Stewart's lawyer gave her final address she told the judge that her client would die if she was sent to jail.
The judge said Stewart was guilty of smuggling messages between the sheik and his followers that could have had potentially lethal consequences.
He called the crimes extraordinarily severe criminal conduct.
But the judge cited more than three decades of dedication to poor, disadvantaged and unpopular clients that had left her destitute even though she worked on more than 70 cases at once.
Outside court, Stewart said she thought the sentence was a victory for all her hard work.
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour and he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted," she said.
Stewart was convicted in 2005 of providing material support to terrorists.
She had released a statement by Omar Abdel-Rahman, a blind sheik sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted in plots to blow up five New York landmarks and assassinate Egypt's president.
Prosecutors have called the case a major victory in the war on terrorism.
They said Stewart and other defendants carried messages between the sheik and senior members of an Egyptian-based terrorist organisation, helping spread Abdel-Rahman's call to kill those who did not subscribe to his extremist interpretation of Islamic law.
Stewart was arrested six months after the September 11, 2001 attacks, along with an Arabic interpreter, and a US postal
worker.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7b9c59fef05ae4750301012586b9c73f
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

10:14

DN! Attorney Lynne Stewart (1) Conviction and Ordering and Prison

DN! Attorney Lynne Stewart (1) Conviction and Ordering and Prison

DN! Attorney Lynne Stewart (1) Conviction and Ordering and Prison

EXCLUSIVE: Civil RightsAttorneyLynne Stewart Responds to Court Ruling Upholding Conviction and Ordering Her to PrisonCivil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has been ordered to prison to begin serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence after a federal appeals court upheld her conviction on Tuesday. Lynne Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the Blind Sheikh, who is serving a life sentence on terror-related charges. The panel also described Stewarts twenty-eight-month sentence as strikingly low and sent the case back to the trial judge to determine whether she deserved a longer prison term. In a Democracy Now! national broadcast exclusive, Lynne Stewart joins us from New York.

6:13

Former Attorney Lynne Stewart convicted of aiding Blind Sheik is granted early release

Former Attorney Lynne Stewart convicted of aiding Blind Sheik is granted early release

Former Attorney Lynne Stewart convicted of aiding Blind Sheik is granted early release

http://www.democracynow.org - Support is growing for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart to be released early from prison due to her worsening health. Stewart's prison warden has recommended to the Justice Department that she be released to the Sloan KetteringCancerCenter in New York. The 73-year-old imprisoned grandmother is fighting stage 4 cancer that has metastasized, spreading to her lymph nodes, shoulder, bones and lungs. Stewart is serving a 10-year sentence in a federal prison near Fort Worth, Texas. In 2005 she was found guilty of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Egyptian cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh," who is now serving a life sentence for conspiring to blow up New York City landmarks in 1995. We speak to former U.S. AttorneyGeneralRamsey Clark and Democracy Now! producer Renée Feltz, who is just back from Texas where she interviewed Lynne Stewart in federal prison, the first face-to-face interview granted to a reporter. The call for Stewart comes at a time when the Federal Bureau of Prisons is facing increasing criticism for refusing to release terminally ill prisoners. A recent report from the Justice Department's inspector general found the bureau's compassionate release program is "poorly managed and implemented inconsistently, likely resulting in eligible inmates not being considered for release and terminally ill inmates dying before their requests were decided."
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,100+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

2:22

Howard Stern w/ Sal & Richard - Lynne Stewart

Howard Stern w/ Sal & Richard - Lynne Stewart

Howard Stern w/ Sal & Richard - Lynne Stewart

The Best Person to Know | Lynne Stewart | TEDxUTSC

Lynne guides us through our emotions, passions and life using a system of chakras and spirituality.
Lynne Stewart is an alumna of the University of Toronto with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She completed her MBA part-time while working in the Investment Bank at CIBC. She now runs a Pilates, Yoga & Wellness studio (SOL BARRE) and speaks and instructs on posture and wellness in her community. She has an amazing outlook on life that inspires others to connect to their community, their passions, and find balance and great health.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

http://www.democracynow.org - The civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has returned home from prison after a federal judge ordered her compassionate release. Stewart is 74 years old and dying from late-stage breast cancer. Viewed by supporters as a political prisoner, she had served almost four years of a 10-year sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of her client, Omar Abdel Rahman, an Egyptian cleric known as the "blind Sheikh." Stewart arrived to a group of cheering supporters in New York City on Wednesday. Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and Renée Feltz were at the airport to cover the homecoming and speak with Stewart about her time behind bars and her plans to continue fighting for political prisoners — and for her own life — now that she's free.
See all of our Democracy Now! coverage of Lyne Stewart and her trials here: http://www.democracynow.org/topics/lynne_stewart.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

http://www.democracynow.org - Lawyers for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart head to federal court today to seek her release from prison. Now 73 years old, Stewart is dying from cancer in a Texas prison. Last month, Stewart's treating physician in prison estimated her life expectancy is approximately 18 months. This comes after the Federal Bureau of Prisons denied Stewart's request for early release -- a denial her lawyers are appealing and hope to address today in a hearing before her original sentencing judge, JudgeJohn Koeltl. In 2010, Stewart was sentenced to 10 years in prison for passing messages from her client, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, to his followers in Egypt. In a letter to Judge Koeltl, Stewart wrote: "I do not intend to go 'gently into that good night' as Dylan Thomas wrote. There is much to be done in this world. I do know that I do not want to die here in prison -- a strange and loveless place. I want to be where all is familiar -- in a word, home. ... I have no grandiose plans -- just good food, conversation, music. That is what I look forward to. And of course, my beloved husband Ralph - my hero and help, my heart, through all the last 50 years. I need him and his strength and love now to be close to me as I get ready for the nearing moments of transition and then rest. If you indeed represent the merciful hand of the law, as against, in this case, a heartless bureaucracy, do not punish me further. Grant me release and allow me to die in dignity." We speak to her husband Ralph Poynter, her daughter ZenobiaBrown and her attorney Jill Shellow.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

1:16

DN! Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing

DN! Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing

DN! Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing

Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing
A US judge is deciding today on whether to uphold a twenty-eight-month prison term for the civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart or sentence her to thirty years. Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh." Prosecutors had sought a thirty-year sentence, but Stewart was sentenced to two-and-a-half years after the judge rejected the prosecutors' argument that she threatened national security and ruled there was no evidence her actions caused any harm. But in November, a three-judge appeals court panel ordered the trial judge to review the sentence, calling it "strikingly low." On the eve of the new sentencing, hundreds of people rallied near the federal courthouse in Manhattan in a show of support for Stewart. Stewart's daughter, Brenna Stewart, said her mother is being targeted for her political involvement.
Brenna Stewart: "She faces the possibility of thirty years. And it's never been heard of for an upper court to tell a lower court, 'Resentence.' It's just amazing how they are targeting her because of the unpopular clients that she represented in her lifetime. She has fifty years of representing everybody and is repaid by being put in jail."

Stewart, Lynn Filmography

Stewart, Lynne Filmography

Famous quotes by Lynne Stewart:

"It's one of the real sacred precincts of the law -- that your client should be absolutely free to tell you whatever he needs to tell to you, and you should be free to give whatever advice you need to give."

"The cherished freedoms that we really need to defend, among them being the right to counsel, the right to having a lawyer that you consult with in absolute privacy -- that's been breached in this case,"

"Now if he said to me, 'I want you [to] tell them the blood shall flow and you must attack them,' I would not have delivered that message,"

"I've been doing this work for 30 years, and I am well aware of the bright line and I have never stepped over it, and I certainly didn't do it in this case either."

"The bright line says the lawyer doesn't become part of the criminal enterprise, whatever that enterprise may be,"

"It's hard to be zealous when you are looking over your shoulder and thinking, 'Could the government indict me for this?'"

"It's so hard to fight against ghosts, when they say there's evidence and it's not there."

"I'm very shook up, and surprised, and disappointed that the jury didn't see what we saw,"

"It certainly is a great relief, ... It's also wonderful to know that the case maybe has opened a way for the use of this (1996) law to be circumscribed, curtailed a little bit."

"I'm a lawyer. I fight for my clients. that's what my job is, ... I'm going to continue to be a lawyer, hopefully, until they carry me out. But I sincerely hope it isn't the government that does the carrying."

Chris Hedges sits down with recently-freed civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart to discuss prison, freedom and the issues raised by her detention.
Read more: http://bit.ly/ChrisHedgesInterviewsLynneStewart
Donate to Truthdig and help us continue to deliver a progressive, high-quality online journal of news and opinion:
http://bit.ly/TruthdigDonate
Join the Truthdig mailing list and never miss a beat: http://bit.ly/TruthdigMailingList
Like Us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TruthdigFacebook
Follow Us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TruthdigTwitter
Shop Truthdig merchandise and recommended products: http://bit.ly/TruthdigStore

published: 13 Feb 2014

Civil Rights lawyer jailed for helping convicted muslim cleric

SHOTLIST
1. Tilt down of exterior of the federal courthouse building
2. Mid of entrance to courthouse with woman chanting
3. Mid of man outside courthouse, chanting: "No justice, no peace."
4. Mid of man holding sign, which reads: "Jailing Lynne Stewart is a threat to all."
5. Mid shotStewart supporters chanting: "Free Lynne Stewart, free Lynne Stewart now."
6. Lynne Stewart walking out of courthouse with her family
7. Mid of cameras
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour. And he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted, they were disappointed, but I tell you he did a fair and ...

published: 21 Jul 2015

DN! Attorney Lynne Stewart (1) Conviction and Ordering and Prison

EXCLUSIVE: Civil RightsAttorneyLynne Stewart Responds to Court Ruling Upholding Conviction and Ordering Her to PrisonCivil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has been ordered to prison to begin serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence after a federal appeals court upheld her conviction on Tuesday. Lynne Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the Blind Sheikh, who is serving a life sentence on terror-related charges. The panel also described Stewarts twenty-eight-month sentence as strikingly low and sent the case back to the trial judge to determine whether she deserved a longer prison term. In a Democracy Now! national broadcast exclusive, Lynne Stewart joins us from New York.

published: 18 Nov 2009

Former Attorney Lynne Stewart convicted of aiding Blind Sheik is granted early release

Howard Stern w/ Sal & Richard - Lynne Stewart

The Best Person to Know | Lynne Stewart | TEDxUTSC

Lynne guides us through our emotions, passions and life using a system of chakras and spirituality.
Lynne Stewart is an alumna of the University of Toronto with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She completed her MBA part-time while working in the Investment Bank at CIBC. She now runs a Pilates, Yoga & Wellness studio (SOL BARRE) and speaks and instructs on posture and wellness in her community. She has an amazing outlook on life that inspires others to connect to their community, their passions, and find balance and great health.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

http://www.democracynow.org - The civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has returned home from prison after a federal judge ordered her compassionate release. Stewart is 74 years old and dying from late-stage breast cancer. Viewed by supporters as a political prisoner, she had served almost four years of a 10-year sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of her client, Omar Abdel Rahman, an Egyptian cleric known as the "blind Sheikh." Stewart arrived to a group of cheering supporters in New York City on Wednesday. Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and Renée Feltz were at the airport to cover the homecoming and speak with Stewart about her time behind bars and her plans to continue fighting for political prisoners — and for her own life — now that she's free.
See all of our Democracy No...

http://www.democracynow.org - Lawyers for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart head to federal court today to seek her release from prison. Now 73 years old, Stewart is dying from cancer in a Texas prison. Last month, Stewart's treating physician in prison estimated her life expectancy is approximately 18 months. This comes after the Federal Bureau of Prisons denied Stewart's request for early release -- a denial her lawyers are appealing and hope to address today in a hearing before her original sentencing judge, JudgeJohn Koeltl. In 2010, Stewart was sentenced to 10 years in prison for passing messages from her client, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, to his followers in Egypt. In a letter to Judge Koeltl, Stewart wrote: "I do not intend to go 'gently into that good night' as Dylan Thomas wrote. T...

published: 08 Aug 2013

DN! Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing

Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing
A US judge is deciding today on whether to uphold a twenty-eight-month prison term for the civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart or sentence her to thirty years. Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh." Prosecutors had sought a thirty-year sentence, but Stewart was sentenced to two-and-a-half years after the judge rejected the prosecutors' argument that she threatened national security and ruled there was no evidence her actions caused any harm. But in November, a three-judge appeals court panel ordered the trial judge to review the sentence, calling it "strikingly low." On the eve of the new sentencing, hundreds of people ra...

Chris Hedges sits down with recently-freed civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart to discuss prison, freedom and the issues raised by her detention.
Read more: http://bit.ly/ChrisHedgesInterviewsLynneStewart
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Chris Hedges sits down with recently-freed civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart to discuss prison, freedom and the issues raised by her detention.
Read more: http://bit.ly/ChrisHedgesInterviewsLynneStewart
Donate to Truthdig and help us continue to deliver a progressive, high-quality online journal of news and opinion:
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Civil Rights lawyer jailed for helping convicted muslim cleric

SHOTLIST
1. Tilt down of exterior of the federal courthouse building
2. Mid of entrance to courthouse with woman chanting
3. Mid of man outside courthouse,...

SHOTLIST
1. Tilt down of exterior of the federal courthouse building
2. Mid of entrance to courthouse with woman chanting
3. Mid of man outside courthouse, chanting: "No justice, no peace."
4. Mid of man holding sign, which reads: "Jailing Lynne Stewart is a threat to all."
5. Mid shotStewart supporters chanting: "Free Lynne Stewart, free Lynne Stewart now."
6. Lynne Stewart walking out of courthouse with her family
7. Mid of cameras
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour. And he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted, they were disappointed, but I tell you he did a fair and right thing."
9. Wide of Lynne surrounded by family and supporters, chanting, "the people united, will never be defeated"
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"The government should not take a bigger bite than it's entitled to, if they find wrong doing, call it for what it is, do not indict, do not over-indict, do not think they can put people away for minor things just because they have that T (terrorist) word to use. He was a very brave judge who looked beyond the T word, who was not buffaloed by the government into saying she's a terrorist, convicted, put her away for the rest of her life."
11. Wide of Stewart surrounded by supporters and media
12. Mid of man holding sign, reading: "Lynne is innocent, Bush (US PresidentGeorge W. Bush) has killed 655 thousand Iraqis."
13. Mid of entrance to federal courthouse
14. Various of courtroom sketches from Stewart's sentencing
STORYLINE:
Civil rights lawyer Lynne Stewart was sentenced to two years and four months months in prison on a terrorism charge on Monday for helping an Egyptian sheik communicate with his followers on the outside.
Stewart, 67, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, smiled, cried and hugged supporters after US District JudgeJohn G. Koeltl announced he was dramatically reducing the 30-year prison sentence called for by federal sentencing guidelines.
When Stewart's lawyer gave her final address she told the judge that her client would die if she was sent to jail.
The judge said Stewart was guilty of smuggling messages between the sheik and his followers that could have had potentially lethal consequences.
He called the crimes extraordinarily severe criminal conduct.
But the judge cited more than three decades of dedication to poor, disadvantaged and unpopular clients that had left her destitute even though she worked on more than 70 cases at once.
Outside court, Stewart said she thought the sentence was a victory for all her hard work.
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour and he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted," she said.
Stewart was convicted in 2005 of providing material support to terrorists.
She had released a statement by Omar Abdel-Rahman, a blind sheik sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted in plots to blow up five New York landmarks and assassinate Egypt's president.
Prosecutors have called the case a major victory in the war on terrorism.
They said Stewart and other defendants carried messages between the sheik and senior members of an Egyptian-based terrorist organisation, helping spread Abdel-Rahman's call to kill those who did not subscribe to his extremist interpretation of Islamic law.
Stewart was arrested six months after the September 11, 2001 attacks, along with an Arabic interpreter, and a US postal
worker.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7b9c59fef05ae4750301012586b9c73f
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

SHOTLIST
1. Tilt down of exterior of the federal courthouse building
2. Mid of entrance to courthouse with woman chanting
3. Mid of man outside courthouse, chanting: "No justice, no peace."
4. Mid of man holding sign, which reads: "Jailing Lynne Stewart is a threat to all."
5. Mid shotStewart supporters chanting: "Free Lynne Stewart, free Lynne Stewart now."
6. Lynne Stewart walking out of courthouse with her family
7. Mid of cameras
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour. And he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted, they were disappointed, but I tell you he did a fair and right thing."
9. Wide of Lynne surrounded by family and supporters, chanting, "the people united, will never be defeated"
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"The government should not take a bigger bite than it's entitled to, if they find wrong doing, call it for what it is, do not indict, do not over-indict, do not think they can put people away for minor things just because they have that T (terrorist) word to use. He was a very brave judge who looked beyond the T word, who was not buffaloed by the government into saying she's a terrorist, convicted, put her away for the rest of her life."
11. Wide of Stewart surrounded by supporters and media
12. Mid of man holding sign, reading: "Lynne is innocent, Bush (US PresidentGeorge W. Bush) has killed 655 thousand Iraqis."
13. Mid of entrance to federal courthouse
14. Various of courtroom sketches from Stewart's sentencing
STORYLINE:
Civil rights lawyer Lynne Stewart was sentenced to two years and four months months in prison on a terrorism charge on Monday for helping an Egyptian sheik communicate with his followers on the outside.
Stewart, 67, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, smiled, cried and hugged supporters after US District JudgeJohn G. Koeltl announced he was dramatically reducing the 30-year prison sentence called for by federal sentencing guidelines.
When Stewart's lawyer gave her final address she told the judge that her client would die if she was sent to jail.
The judge said Stewart was guilty of smuggling messages between the sheik and his followers that could have had potentially lethal consequences.
He called the crimes extraordinarily severe criminal conduct.
But the judge cited more than three decades of dedication to poor, disadvantaged and unpopular clients that had left her destitute even though she worked on more than 70 cases at once.
Outside court, Stewart said she thought the sentence was a victory for all her hard work.
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour and he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted," she said.
Stewart was convicted in 2005 of providing material support to terrorists.
She had released a statement by Omar Abdel-Rahman, a blind sheik sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted in plots to blow up five New York landmarks and assassinate Egypt's president.
Prosecutors have called the case a major victory in the war on terrorism.
They said Stewart and other defendants carried messages between the sheik and senior members of an Egyptian-based terrorist organisation, helping spread Abdel-Rahman's call to kill those who did not subscribe to his extremist interpretation of Islamic law.
Stewart was arrested six months after the September 11, 2001 attacks, along with an Arabic interpreter, and a US postal
worker.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7b9c59fef05ae4750301012586b9c73f
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

EXCLUSIVE: Civil RightsAttorneyLynne Stewart Responds to Court Ruling Upholding Conviction and Ordering Her to PrisonCivil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has been ordered to prison to begin serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence after a federal appeals court upheld her conviction on Tuesday. Lynne Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the Blind Sheikh, who is serving a life sentence on terror-related charges. The panel also described Stewarts twenty-eight-month sentence as strikingly low and sent the case back to the trial judge to determine whether she deserved a longer prison term. In a Democracy Now! national broadcast exclusive, Lynne Stewart joins us from New York.

EXCLUSIVE: Civil RightsAttorneyLynne Stewart Responds to Court Ruling Upholding Conviction and Ordering Her to PrisonCivil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has been ordered to prison to begin serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence after a federal appeals court upheld her conviction on Tuesday. Lynne Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the Blind Sheikh, who is serving a life sentence on terror-related charges. The panel also described Stewarts twenty-eight-month sentence as strikingly low and sent the case back to the trial judge to determine whether she deserved a longer prison term. In a Democracy Now! national broadcast exclusive, Lynne Stewart joins us from New York.

http://www.democracynow.org - Support is growing for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart to be released early from prison due to her worsening health. Stewart's prison warden has recommended to the Justice Department that she be released to the Sloan KetteringCancerCenter in New York. The 73-year-old imprisoned grandmother is fighting stage 4 cancer that has metastasized, spreading to her lymph nodes, shoulder, bones and lungs. Stewart is serving a 10-year sentence in a federal prison near Fort Worth, Texas. In 2005 she was found guilty of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Egyptian cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh," who is now serving a life sentence for conspiring to blow up New York City landmarks in 1995. We speak to former U.S. AttorneyGeneralRamsey Clark and Democracy Now! producer Renée Feltz, who is just back from Texas where she interviewed Lynne Stewart in federal prison, the first face-to-face interview granted to a reporter. The call for Stewart comes at a time when the Federal Bureau of Prisons is facing increasing criticism for refusing to release terminally ill prisoners. A recent report from the Justice Department's inspector general found the bureau's compassionate release program is "poorly managed and implemented inconsistently, likely resulting in eligible inmates not being considered for release and terminally ill inmates dying before their requests were decided."
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,100+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

http://www.democracynow.org - Support is growing for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart to be released early from prison due to her worsening health. Stewart's prison warden has recommended to the Justice Department that she be released to the Sloan KetteringCancerCenter in New York. The 73-year-old imprisoned grandmother is fighting stage 4 cancer that has metastasized, spreading to her lymph nodes, shoulder, bones and lungs. Stewart is serving a 10-year sentence in a federal prison near Fort Worth, Texas. In 2005 she was found guilty of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Egyptian cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh," who is now serving a life sentence for conspiring to blow up New York City landmarks in 1995. We speak to former U.S. AttorneyGeneralRamsey Clark and Democracy Now! producer Renée Feltz, who is just back from Texas where she interviewed Lynne Stewart in federal prison, the first face-to-face interview granted to a reporter. The call for Stewart comes at a time when the Federal Bureau of Prisons is facing increasing criticism for refusing to release terminally ill prisoners. A recent report from the Justice Department's inspector general found the bureau's compassionate release program is "poorly managed and implemented inconsistently, likely resulting in eligible inmates not being considered for release and terminally ill inmates dying before their requests were decided."
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,100+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

Lynne guides us through our emotions, passions and life using a system of chakras and spirituality.
Lynne Stewart is an alumna of the University of Toronto with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She completed her MBA part-time while working in the Investment Bank at CIBC. She now runs a Pilates, Yoga & Wellness studio (SOL BARRE) and speaks and instructs on posture and wellness in her community. She has an amazing outlook on life that inspires others to connect to their community, their passions, and find balance and great health.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

Lynne guides us through our emotions, passions and life using a system of chakras and spirituality.
Lynne Stewart is an alumna of the University of Toronto with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She completed her MBA part-time while working in the Investment Bank at CIBC. She now runs a Pilates, Yoga & Wellness studio (SOL BARRE) and speaks and instructs on posture and wellness in her community. She has an amazing outlook on life that inspires others to connect to their community, their passions, and find balance and great health.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

http://www.democracynow.org - The civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has returned home from prison after a federal judge ordered her compassionate release. Ste...

http://www.democracynow.org - The civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has returned home from prison after a federal judge ordered her compassionate release. Stewart is 74 years old and dying from late-stage breast cancer. Viewed by supporters as a political prisoner, she had served almost four years of a 10-year sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of her client, Omar Abdel Rahman, an Egyptian cleric known as the "blind Sheikh." Stewart arrived to a group of cheering supporters in New York City on Wednesday. Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and Renée Feltz were at the airport to cover the homecoming and speak with Stewart about her time behind bars and her plans to continue fighting for political prisoners — and for her own life — now that she's free.
See all of our Democracy Now! coverage of Lyne Stewart and her trials here: http://www.democracynow.org/topics/lynne_stewart.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

http://www.democracynow.org - The civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has returned home from prison after a federal judge ordered her compassionate release. Stewart is 74 years old and dying from late-stage breast cancer. Viewed by supporters as a political prisoner, she had served almost four years of a 10-year sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of her client, Omar Abdel Rahman, an Egyptian cleric known as the "blind Sheikh." Stewart arrived to a group of cheering supporters in New York City on Wednesday. Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and Renée Feltz were at the airport to cover the homecoming and speak with Stewart about her time behind bars and her plans to continue fighting for political prisoners — and for her own life — now that she's free.
See all of our Democracy Now! coverage of Lyne Stewart and her trials here: http://www.democracynow.org/topics/lynne_stewart.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

http://www.democracynow.org - Lawyers for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart head to federal court today to seek her release from prison. Now 73 years old, Stewa...

http://www.democracynow.org - Lawyers for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart head to federal court today to seek her release from prison. Now 73 years old, Stewart is dying from cancer in a Texas prison. Last month, Stewart's treating physician in prison estimated her life expectancy is approximately 18 months. This comes after the Federal Bureau of Prisons denied Stewart's request for early release -- a denial her lawyers are appealing and hope to address today in a hearing before her original sentencing judge, JudgeJohn Koeltl. In 2010, Stewart was sentenced to 10 years in prison for passing messages from her client, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, to his followers in Egypt. In a letter to Judge Koeltl, Stewart wrote: "I do not intend to go 'gently into that good night' as Dylan Thomas wrote. There is much to be done in this world. I do know that I do not want to die here in prison -- a strange and loveless place. I want to be where all is familiar -- in a word, home. ... I have no grandiose plans -- just good food, conversation, music. That is what I look forward to. And of course, my beloved husband Ralph - my hero and help, my heart, through all the last 50 years. I need him and his strength and love now to be close to me as I get ready for the nearing moments of transition and then rest. If you indeed represent the merciful hand of the law, as against, in this case, a heartless bureaucracy, do not punish me further. Grant me release and allow me to die in dignity." We speak to her husband Ralph Poynter, her daughter ZenobiaBrown and her attorney Jill Shellow.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
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DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

http://www.democracynow.org - Lawyers for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart head to federal court today to seek her release from prison. Now 73 years old, Stewart is dying from cancer in a Texas prison. Last month, Stewart's treating physician in prison estimated her life expectancy is approximately 18 months. This comes after the Federal Bureau of Prisons denied Stewart's request for early release -- a denial her lawyers are appealing and hope to address today in a hearing before her original sentencing judge, JudgeJohn Koeltl. In 2010, Stewart was sentenced to 10 years in prison for passing messages from her client, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, to his followers in Egypt. In a letter to Judge Koeltl, Stewart wrote: "I do not intend to go 'gently into that good night' as Dylan Thomas wrote. There is much to be done in this world. I do know that I do not want to die here in prison -- a strange and loveless place. I want to be where all is familiar -- in a word, home. ... I have no grandiose plans -- just good food, conversation, music. That is what I look forward to. And of course, my beloved husband Ralph - my hero and help, my heart, through all the last 50 years. I need him and his strength and love now to be close to me as I get ready for the nearing moments of transition and then rest. If you indeed represent the merciful hand of the law, as against, in this case, a heartless bureaucracy, do not punish me further. Grant me release and allow me to die in dignity." We speak to her husband Ralph Poynter, her daughter ZenobiaBrown and her attorney Jill Shellow.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
Listen on SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/democracynow
DailyEmailNews Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe
Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT

DN! Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing

Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing
A US judge is deciding today on whether to uphold a twenty-eight-month prison term for the civil rights a...

Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing
A US judge is deciding today on whether to uphold a twenty-eight-month prison term for the civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart or sentence her to thirty years. Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh." Prosecutors had sought a thirty-year sentence, but Stewart was sentenced to two-and-a-half years after the judge rejected the prosecutors' argument that she threatened national security and ruled there was no evidence her actions caused any harm. But in November, a three-judge appeals court panel ordered the trial judge to review the sentence, calling it "strikingly low." On the eve of the new sentencing, hundreds of people rallied near the federal courthouse in Manhattan in a show of support for Stewart. Stewart's daughter, Brenna Stewart, said her mother is being targeted for her political involvement.
Brenna Stewart: "She faces the possibility of thirty years. And it's never been heard of for an upper court to tell a lower court, 'Resentence.' It's just amazing how they are targeting her because of the unpopular clients that she represented in her lifetime. She has fifty years of representing everybody and is repaid by being put in jail."

Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing
A US judge is deciding today on whether to uphold a twenty-eight-month prison term for the civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart or sentence her to thirty years. Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh." Prosecutors had sought a thirty-year sentence, but Stewart was sentenced to two-and-a-half years after the judge rejected the prosecutors' argument that she threatened national security and ruled there was no evidence her actions caused any harm. But in November, a three-judge appeals court panel ordered the trial judge to review the sentence, calling it "strikingly low." On the eve of the new sentencing, hundreds of people rallied near the federal courthouse in Manhattan in a show of support for Stewart. Stewart's daughter, Brenna Stewart, said her mother is being targeted for her political involvement.
Brenna Stewart: "She faces the possibility of thirty years. And it's never been heard of for an upper court to tell a lower court, 'Resentence.' It's just amazing how they are targeting her because of the unpopular clients that she represented in her lifetime. She has fifty years of representing everybody and is repaid by being put in jail."

Chris Hedges sits down with recently-freed civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart to discuss prison, freedom and the issues raised by her detention.
Read more: http://bit.ly/ChrisHedgesInterviewsLynneStewart
Donate to Truthdig and help us continue to deliver a progressive, high-quality online journal of news and opinion:
http://bit.ly/TruthdigDonate
Join the Truthdig mailing list and never miss a beat: http://bit.ly/TruthdigMailingList
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Civil Rights lawyer jailed for helping convicted muslim cleric

SHOTLIST
1. Tilt down of exterior of the federal courthouse building
2. Mid of entrance to courthouse with woman chanting
3. Mid of man outside courthouse, chanting: "No justice, no peace."
4. Mid of man holding sign, which reads: "Jailing Lynne Stewart is a threat to all."
5. Mid shotStewart supporters chanting: "Free Lynne Stewart, free Lynne Stewart now."
6. Lynne Stewart walking out of courthouse with her family
7. Mid of cameras
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour. And he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted, they were disappointed, but I tell you he did a fair and right thing."
9. Wide of Lynne surrounded by family and supporters, chanting, "the people united, will never be defeated"
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lynne Stewart, Civil rights lawyer:
"The government should not take a bigger bite than it's entitled to, if they find wrong doing, call it for what it is, do not indict, do not over-indict, do not think they can put people away for minor things just because they have that T (terrorist) word to use. He was a very brave judge who looked beyond the T word, who was not buffaloed by the government into saying she's a terrorist, convicted, put her away for the rest of her life."
11. Wide of Stewart surrounded by supporters and media
12. Mid of man holding sign, reading: "Lynne is innocent, Bush (US PresidentGeorge W. Bush) has killed 655 thousand Iraqis."
13. Mid of entrance to federal courthouse
14. Various of courtroom sketches from Stewart's sentencing
STORYLINE:
Civil rights lawyer Lynne Stewart was sentenced to two years and four months months in prison on a terrorism charge on Monday for helping an Egyptian sheik communicate with his followers on the outside.
Stewart, 67, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, smiled, cried and hugged supporters after US District JudgeJohn G. Koeltl announced he was dramatically reducing the 30-year prison sentence called for by federal sentencing guidelines.
When Stewart's lawyer gave her final address she told the judge that her client would die if she was sent to jail.
The judge said Stewart was guilty of smuggling messages between the sheik and his followers that could have had potentially lethal consequences.
He called the crimes extraordinarily severe criminal conduct.
But the judge cited more than three decades of dedication to poor, disadvantaged and unpopular clients that had left her destitute even though she worked on more than 70 cases at once.
Outside court, Stewart said she thought the sentence was a victory for all her hard work.
"I am very grateful to the judge that he gave me time off for good behaviour and he gave it to me in advance of the sentence when he said that my extraordinary work meant that I could not get a sentence that the government wanted," she said.
Stewart was convicted in 2005 of providing material support to terrorists.
She had released a statement by Omar Abdel-Rahman, a blind sheik sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted in plots to blow up five New York landmarks and assassinate Egypt's president.
Prosecutors have called the case a major victory in the war on terrorism.
They said Stewart and other defendants carried messages between the sheik and senior members of an Egyptian-based terrorist organisation, helping spread Abdel-Rahman's call to kill those who did not subscribe to his extremist interpretation of Islamic law.
Stewart was arrested six months after the September 11, 2001 attacks, along with an Arabic interpreter, and a US postal
worker.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7b9c59fef05ae4750301012586b9c73f
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

DN! Attorney Lynne Stewart (1) Conviction and Ordering and Prison

EXCLUSIVE: Civil RightsAttorneyLynne Stewart Responds to Court Ruling Upholding Conviction and Ordering Her to PrisonCivil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has been ordered to prison to begin serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence after a federal appeals court upheld her conviction on Tuesday. Lynne Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the Blind Sheikh, who is serving a life sentence on terror-related charges. The panel also described Stewarts twenty-eight-month sentence as strikingly low and sent the case back to the trial judge to determine whether she deserved a longer prison term. In a Democracy Now! national broadcast exclusive, Lynne Stewart joins us from New York.

http://www.democracynow.org - Support is growing for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart to be released early from prison due to her worsening health. Stewart's prison warden has recommended to the Justice Department that she be released to the Sloan KetteringCancerCenter in New York. The 73-year-old imprisoned grandmother is fighting stage 4 cancer that has metastasized, spreading to her lymph nodes, shoulder, bones and lungs. Stewart is serving a 10-year sentence in a federal prison near Fort Worth, Texas. In 2005 she was found guilty of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client, Egyptian cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh," who is now serving a life sentence for conspiring to blow up New York City landmarks in 1995. We speak to former U.S. AttorneyGeneralRamsey Clark and Democracy Now! producer Renée Feltz, who is just back from Texas where she interviewed Lynne Stewart in federal prison, the first face-to-face interview granted to a reporter. The call for Stewart comes at a time when the Federal Bureau of Prisons is facing increasing criticism for refusing to release terminally ill prisoners. A recent report from the Justice Department's inspector general found the bureau's compassionate release program is "poorly managed and implemented inconsistently, likely resulting in eligible inmates not being considered for release and terminally ill inmates dying before their requests were decided."
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,100+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.
FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/democracynow
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/democracynow
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The Best Person to Know | Lynne Stewart | TEDxUTSC

Lynne guides us through our emotions, passions and life using a system of chakras and spirituality.
Lynne Stewart is an alumna of the University of Toronto with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She completed her MBA part-time while working in the Investment Bank at CIBC. She now runs a Pilates, Yoga & Wellness studio (SOL BARRE) and speaks and instructs on posture and wellness in her community. She has an amazing outlook on life that inspires others to connect to their community, their passions, and find balance and great health.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

http://www.democracynow.org - The civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart has returned home from prison after a federal judge ordered her compassionate release. Stewart is 74 years old and dying from late-stage breast cancer. Viewed by supporters as a political prisoner, she had served almost four years of a 10-year sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of her client, Omar Abdel Rahman, an Egyptian cleric known as the "blind Sheikh." Stewart arrived to a group of cheering supporters in New York City on Wednesday. Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman and Renée Feltz were at the airport to cover the homecoming and speak with Stewart about her time behind bars and her plans to continue fighting for political prisoners — and for her own life — now that she's free.
See all of our Democracy Now! coverage of Lyne Stewart and her trials here: http://www.democracynow.org/topics/lynne_stewart.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
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http://www.democracynow.org - Lawyers for imprisoned attorney Lynne Stewart head to federal court today to seek her release from prison. Now 73 years old, Stewart is dying from cancer in a Texas prison. Last month, Stewart's treating physician in prison estimated her life expectancy is approximately 18 months. This comes after the Federal Bureau of Prisons denied Stewart's request for early release -- a denial her lawyers are appealing and hope to address today in a hearing before her original sentencing judge, JudgeJohn Koeltl. In 2010, Stewart was sentenced to 10 years in prison for passing messages from her client, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, to his followers in Egypt. In a letter to Judge Koeltl, Stewart wrote: "I do not intend to go 'gently into that good night' as Dylan Thomas wrote. There is much to be done in this world. I do know that I do not want to die here in prison -- a strange and loveless place. I want to be where all is familiar -- in a word, home. ... I have no grandiose plans -- just good food, conversation, music. That is what I look forward to. And of course, my beloved husband Ralph - my hero and help, my heart, through all the last 50 years. I need him and his strength and love now to be close to me as I get ready for the nearing moments of transition and then rest. If you indeed represent the merciful hand of the law, as against, in this case, a heartless bureaucracy, do not punish me further. Grant me release and allow me to die in dignity." We speak to her husband Ralph Poynter, her daughter ZenobiaBrown and her attorney Jill Shellow.
Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,200+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch it live 8-9am ET at http://www.democracynow.org.
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DN! Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing

Supporters Rally on Eve of Lynne Stewart Resentencing
A US judge is deciding today on whether to uphold a twenty-eight-month prison term for the civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart or sentence her to thirty years. Stewart was found guilty in 2005 of distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as the "Blind Sheikh." Prosecutors had sought a thirty-year sentence, but Stewart was sentenced to two-and-a-half years after the judge rejected the prosecutors' argument that she threatened national security and ruled there was no evidence her actions caused any harm. But in November, a three-judge appeals court panel ordered the trial judge to review the sentence, calling it "strikingly low." On the eve of the new sentencing, hundreds of people rallied near the federal courthouse in Manhattan in a show of support for Stewart. Stewart's daughter, Brenna Stewart, said her mother is being targeted for her political involvement.
Brenna Stewart: "She faces the possibility of thirty years. And it's never been heard of for an upper court to tell a lower court, 'Resentence.' It's just amazing how they are targeting her because of the unpopular clients that she represented in her lifetime. She has fifty years of representing everybody and is repaid by being put in jail."